Thought that some following this thread might find the new article in Japan
Times interesting:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/05/national/barriers-climate-activism-in-japan/#.XcKpHlNt-Da


Interesting mostly for the culturally racist lead paragraph that says, "Around the world, young people are leading the fight against climate change. But in Japan, a conservative culture of restraint and the stigmatization of public demonstrations are making it difficult for the movement to take hold."

Anyone who has lived in Osaka will know that Japanese cultural varies by region and restraint is not a prominent feature of Osaka culture. Anyone who knows Japanese history will find the claim that public demonstrations are stigmatized, bizarre in the extreme.

Japan has a long history of public demonstrations both peaceful and violent going back centuries. In a half-century of studying modern Japanese history (bakamatsu to the present), this is the first time I have heard that there was any stigma attached to public demonstrations.

I'm sure older labor union members and those who participated in the massive movements against the renewal of the US-Japan Mutual Security treaty, those who fought against the creation of Narita Airport, or more recently the SEALDs movement would be surprised to learn that there is a stigma attached to what they did.

I would advise anyone who sees an article on this or any other subject that has the word "stigma" in it or which contains patently wrong generalizations about Japanese society to stop reading because what follows is almost assuredly based on a culturally racist view of Japan even if the author is a Japanese.

Further, when I was teaching, I always advised students to consider what is not stated or debated. No mention of the Extinction Rebellion in the JT article or in this venue. It has been alienating people in Britain and calling attention to the degree to which contemporary environmental movements are notably white even though those who are most likely to be harmed are non-white.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/20/extinction-rebellion-tube-protest-was-a-mistake

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/04/extinction-rebellion-race-climate-crisis-inequality

I would like to think that the (allegedly) low level of activity in Japan reflects doubts about the efficacy of theatrical demonstrations in dealing with climate change.

EHK

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